Another Step
by 0KaCey0
Summary: When you're in a relationship like Percy and Annabeth's, one that will endure eternity, how are you supposed to get people to understand? How do you explain that a normally huge occasion, is really...just another step that you saw coming? Percabeth fluff.


"Hey Percy, do you have thirty-eight cents? I need it for popcorn."

"Yeah hold on, lemme check," Percy replied while fishing around in his pockets. He pulled out a handful of coins, paper scraps, lint, and Riptide.

Percy sheepishly took Riptide out of the mix and put it back in his pocket while Annabeth began picking out all the other trash. Her fingers stopped in their mindless sorting when her eyes spied something not a coin and not trash. She picked it up gingerly between her thumb and index finger before making eye contact with Percy. "Percy…what's this?"

Percy looked at the object in question and blushed while taking it out of Annabeth's hand. "Ummm…My mom was cleaning her stuff last week, and I had to help carry some things to storage. I saw the ring and thought it would look good on you…. So I asked if I could take it and she said yes. I just didn't know how to give it to you without making a big deal out of it and being cheesy."

Annabeth smiled and put her hand out in a gesture for Percy to put it on. She looked at the nice gleam it had on her finger before gently kissing Percy.

* * *

"Annabeth. Chase." Screeched the voice of Sarah Brown. A girl Annabeth would have bet her life was Silena Beauregard's second life if she wasn't the same age as herself.

"What," Annabeth asked exasperated, looking up from her laptop to see all of the classroom's occupants staring at the pair. _Thank goodness it was still early and most of the class had not arrived yet. _

"Annabeth Chase. What in the world is _that_ on your finger?"

If it wasn't for the Sarah's overexcited tone, Annabeth would have guessed first that there was a spider or something on her finger. But she knew what Sarah was referring to: the shiny little rock that gleamed on Annabeth's fourth finger whenever it caught the light; the small ring that Percy had given her just yesterday. "Why, I have no idea what you're talking about," Annabeth drawled innocently.

"This…this _thing_," Sarah replied excitedly, taking three large steps to Annabeth and lifting her hand to have a closer examination of the so-called _thing_.

Annabeth laughed at Sarah's exuberance, having expected people to overreact. "It's really nothing. Just a ring."

"Yes," Sarah replied sarcastically, "just a ring that happens to be on the ring finger of your left hand. No biggie at all." Annabeth wouldn't have to be looking to see the overdramatic eye roll following that sentence. "So, what is it? A purity ring?"

Annabeth hesitated for a second before answering, "I—I guess you could say that."

"What do you mean? What kind of exceptions could you have for a purity ring?"

"It's not really for God," Annabeth replied, knowing which God Sarah had in mind. "Maybe like…a ring that says I won't cheat on Percy…," Annabeth replied, unsure of the actual ties that were meant behind the ring.

"But we're only freshmen in college! How can you already decide that you're going to marry him?"

"It's not specifically an engagement ring. We're not ready to marry each other yet. We're still in school, still young, we can't support ourselves…there's so much to think about. There's no way I'm marrying Percy anytime soon. And besides, if that was Percy's attempt at an engagement, well... He'll have to do much better than that."

"But you sound so sure that you'll end up marrying Percy."

Annabeth simply shrugged, "It's just something that I've always assumed would happen. Finish high school, finish college, get my masters, get a job, marry Percy. It's just always been another step."

"How can you know? How can you already know that Percy is the guy you'll spend the rest of your life with; the only guy you'll _ever_ spend your life with? How do you know he's the guy that will make you happy for the rests of your life?"

Annabeth shrugged again, "I just do."

Sarah gave Annabeth an incredulous look as their professor walked in. One Annabeth had received many times prior in her life. It was a look that said _You are completely and utterly crazy. I have no idea in Hell how you are so smart. _And really, Annabeth didn't know what to say to Sarah. That Percy and her had been through more than she could ever image? That they had held the weight of the world for each other? That they saved the world and turned down gifts of immortality for each other? That they already planned to be reborn with two more lives, knowing they would find each other again? How could anyone mortal—and even some demigods that were not witness to the Great Titan War—believe Percy and Annabeth were blessed by Aphrodite and dubbed the next Romeo and Juliet?

In truth, very few if any. And so, Annabeth chose to ignore such looks, from Sarah, from her father, from everyone. Percy and her relationship would endure everything, and was a crystal sure constant in her future; this life _and _the next two.

* * *

**AN: **One of those one-shots I promised. A bit short, but it gets my point across. Leave a review, and check out my other story if you haven't read it. You'll love it.


End file.
